An update on the AfriNIC situation

Tue Aug 31 22:56:53 UTC 2021

>> I regret the true human cost that Mark pointed out, yet I am fascinated
>> by the case and the arguments on both sides. The court will have their
>> work cut out for them.
> 
> That human cost came not from disagreement on the policies and
> contract provisions, but from a vengeful action of financial bullying.

Not to put too fine a point on this, but what human cost?

There were exactly 3 employees that AFRINIC wasn’t able to pay in July, including
the CEO (who is one of the major protagonists in creating this problem in the first
place). I don’t know who the other two were.

Everyone else got paid for July.

AFRINIC has received clearance of enough money to cover their normal expenses
for August and September. As such, there shouldn’t be any problems with salaries
or “human cost” in those months. Hopefully given that reprieve, cooler heads at
AFRINIC can prevail and some form of settlement can be achieved before they run
out of money from that reprieve.

> I saw my quota of questionable court decisions to automatically agree
> with whatever is decided in this case, even if CI loses, but the
> arguments from both sides will indeed be very interesting and useful
> to close out loopholes in the system.

Only if they are ever able to be made public, which is a little iffy given the Mauritian
court system. It may well be that only the final ruling is able to be made public.

Owen